Speak to us if you're having housing problems. Get free legal advice at a local drop-in clinic.
Our financial inclusion team can help if you’re renting from a private landlord and:
If you’re in this situation, you may be eligible for the following help.
If you are in severe financial hardship or you risk losing your rented home, you may be able to get Discretionary Housing Payment.
This is a short term payment to help pay your rent.
To claim you must be:
You cannot use discretionary housing payments for:
To make a claim:
call 020 7525 4010 and we'll send you a form
complete our online form
After you’ve filled in the form, we’ll write to you with our decision.
Some benefits stop if you start work, work more hours or earn more.
If this happens, you might be able to claim an extra 4 weeks of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.
This is called an extended payment of Housing Benefit.
You qualify for an extended payment if you’ve received certain benefits for at least 26 weeks and they ended because of a change in your work.
The work must be expected to last at least 5 weeks. The benefits include:
You do not have to claim an extended payment. If you qualify, we’ll get in touch with you.
The Rent Arrears Fund gives a maximum payment of £500 to stop landlords evicting tenants because of rent arrears.
Get in touch if you need advice about:
We also work with other organisations who help people find work and new homes that they can afford.
Contact us by:
emailing financialinclusion@southwark.gov.uk
calling 020 7525 4140 (select option 5)
Our short video explains how we can help you.
You can also get free housing advice at the Southbank drop-in clinics.